Question

How is human population growth related to environmental sustainability?

Answer 1

Hint: Population trends are characterized by an increasing divergence across countries and regions. Whereas many of the poorer countries continue to be characterized by rapid population growth, others that are more advanced in their demographic transition and are experiencing rapid population ageing and even population decrease in some cases.

Complete answer:
Population is growing rapidly, far outpacing the capacity of our planet to support it. Large population or Overpopulation is mostly attributed to trends such as people living longer and enjoying higher live birth rates. Overpopulation of some areas may also result from migration. It can result from a reduction in the carrying capacity of an area, such as reduced agricultural yield due to over-farming or drought. Such conditions result in an out-migration. The relationship between overpopulation and environmental impacts are often interrelated and complex such as:-

-Farming Impacts: A growing agricultural base to feed an associated increasing world population comes with its complications. Because the global population increases, more food is needed. Such measures may be met through more intensive farming, or through deforestation to make new farmlands, which in turn can have negative outcomes.
-Deforestation leads to a reduced ability to capture carbon-dioxide, thus exasperating the greenhouse emission problem. Deforestation is strongly associated with loss of habitat and extinction. It also leads to ceasing in biodiversity and also prevents flood. It also brings economic loss to the nation and can cause health issues.
-Global warming: Human population growth and climate change have grown hand in hand as the use of fossil fuels has exploded to support industrialized societies. More people means more demand for oil, gas, coal and other fuels mined or drilled from below the Earth’s surface that, when burned, spew enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to trap warm air inside like a greenhouse.

Note: Policies that encourage family planning, education, gender equity and other measures to help slow population growth will help reduce pressure on the planet. The environment and population are always related to each other and so we should preserve the environment by controlling our activities.